Howard Herron Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

Howard Herron 6 2
Q: What are some of the things that Ms. Lanham told you about in the old
days?
A: Oh, she was quite a Republican and she, of course, lived during the
Civil War. Her father was a veteran of the Civil War and he was quite
comical and full of fun. If the kids would tease him or anything he
would take his cane and hit them across the shin with it. Everybody had
a lot of fun with him. He had great long white whiskers and that's-about
all I remember.
Q: Did he fight for the North or for the South?
A: The North, but Ms. Lanham I know she always worked to help the best
she could to get a Republican selected. I remember one time in school
she was telling us about, teaching us about politics, how they work and
she said, "Above all things remember our President right or wrong, he is
our President." I never did forget that.
Q: That's very good.
A: And so anyway she lived at the Parks Memorial Home where she passed
away and when that was I don' t remember.
Q: Did your teachers have a pretty good influence on your life, do you
think?
A: Well, yes, she and Mrs. Eva Hedrick had the most. I couldn't paper a
room, I could never get it right and besides that she was my Sunday
School teacher. I worked of an evening for a picture show here and I ran
a movie picture machine that had the old arc lights instead of the lighting
they have now. I would never get home until about 11:OO or later and
sometimes I would go to sleep in school. One day she--I' 11 never forget
this--she said, "You stay after school." She pointed at me and I said,
"Oh, boy, what have I done?" In them days we had to form a line and we
walked, marched right out in line to the end of the street and until you
got out in the street. She ran a tight ship and there was no fooling
around. I was worried about what I was kept in for. When she got back
from after she watched the children all go out to the end of the street,
and then she came back and she said, "Scoot over." I scooted over and
she sat down beside of me and said, "Now get out your arithmetic." I
forgot something I should have said. Before that a11 happened she come
down to my house and talked to my mother and father. Said that I wasn't
quite attentive enough in school and that there was something wrong and
she wondered what it would be. They said, "Well, he stays up late at
night." She says, "Well, I would think that you would put a stop to that
and that will help a lot with his work." So my dad said, "You'll have to
give up that job running that movie picture machine." So I did and
anyway getting back to where she had me get over there in the seat and
get out my arithmetic. She says, "Now you're just as smart as the rest
of the children, Howard. Whey can't you paper a room?" I couldn't take
out the doors and get it right you know. In fact I didn't set my heart
to it enough and I was shirking on the job I guess you would call it now.
Anyway it was just like a boil after it burst, it just hit me or triggered
it and I got the knack of it and I had no trouble after that. I think I